Tomatoes evoke a passion seldom seen in the vegetable patch. True tomato lovers shun the bland, genetically engineered, built-for-travel varieties that populate produce aisles for most the year, anxiously awaiting the real season.
That time is now.
For a real treat, look for heirloom varieties, a must-have for foodies this summer. They're not as pretty as their red grocery store cousins, but their taste is intense: fruity, sweet and balanced with acid. They come in a variety of colours and shapes -- orange, yellow or green, striped, grape sized, pear shaped or round. I love the brandywine and green zebra varieties. Look for them at organic markets, stores that carry organic produce and some roadside stands.
Remember to store ripe tomatoes at room temperature; refrigeration makes them mealy. Slice tomatoes with a serrated knife (it grips the skin more easily).
The best way to cut a tomato: Remove the stem and place the tomato, stem-side down, on the cutting board, then slice it vertically. You'll retain more juice than cutting horizontally.
Panzanella
This is one of my favourite summer dishes for entertaining. You often see it on restaurant menus this time of year. There are all kinds of panzanella -- you can add grilled peppers and cucumber (preferably the crisp Kirby kind), anchovies and chilies -- but I like this simple one.
If you prepare the salad ahead of time, don't dress it until about 30 minutes before serving. Try it as a base for grilled fish or chicken, or on its own with slices of cold ham.
Bread:
6 ½-inch slices sourdough or other baguette
1 large clove garlic, cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salad:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 heirloom or other juicy tomatoes
1 cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons slivered basil
½ cup pitted green olives, quartered
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Grill bread until golden, about 1 minute a side. Immediately rub with cut side of garlic clove and brush with olive oil. Tear or cut into chunks. Reserve.
Combine vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil. Reserve.
Seed tomatoes into a bowl. Strain seeds, keeping any tomato juice. Dice tomatoes. Reserve. Mix bread with any tomato juices and ¼ cup vinaigrette. Let sit for 30 minutes. Add tomatoes, onion, parsley, basil, olives and remaining vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.
Pasta with Gold and Red Cherry
Tomatoes
Hot pasta with cold sauce makes a splendid first course or side dish. Serve with simple grilled meats.
4 cups cherry or other tomatoes, quartered
¼ cup slivered basil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
4 anchovy fillets diced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound spaghettini
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Toss together tomatoes with basil, garlic, anchovies, vinegar, oil and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghettini, return to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
Toss the cold sauce with the hot pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve. Serves 8 as a first course/side dish.
Yellow Tomato Soup
This no-cook cold soup is also great as a cold sauce over pasta (omit the chicken stock). Use yellow tomatoes, which are less acidic than red, to give a mellow flavour.
6 yellow tomatoes
½ yellow pepper
¼ cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Garnish:
¼ cup whipping cream or sour cream
1 tablespoon basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
Place tomatoes, pepper, wine, stock and olive oil in a food processor. Purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Whip cream until thickened. Fold in pesto. Reserve.
Divide soup into four bowls and swirl with pesto cream. Serves 4.
Tomato Compote
This simple condiment is fabulous with cheese or prepared as a sophisticated bruschetta. I serve it mashed as a sauce with grilled fish.
12 cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon lemon thyme or regular thyme
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add tomatoes and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from water and skin (it will slip off easily). Cut in half.
Combine honey, lemon juice, coriander and lemon thyme. Stir into tomatoes. Serve with bread. Makes about 1 cup.
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